Attachment for ice skates



Jan 2, 1951 J. c. MATCHETT ATTACHMENT FOR ICE SKATES INVENTOR. JOHN C. MATCHETT Filed Aug. 5, 1947 ATTORNEY;

Patented Jan. 2, 1951 ATTACHMENT FOR ICE SKATES John O. Matchett, Ferndale, Mich., assignor to Marvin F. Umstead Application August 5, 1947, Serial No. 766,375

13 Claims.

This invention relates generally to attachments for ice skates and refers more particularly to a tread attachment for the blade of an ice skate.

One of the essential objects of the invention is to provide an attachment of the type mentioned that may be easily and quickly applied to or removed from the blade of an ice skate and that will enable the wearer of the skate to walk thereon without marring the blade of the skate or flooring or other surfaces traversed.

Another object is to provide a tread attachment that is flexible and that can conform to blades of various shapes.

Another object is to provide a tread attachment having a flexible strip engageable with the lower edge of the blade of a skate and having a series of spring metal clips anchored to said strip at longitudinally spaced points thereof and adapted to grip opposite sides of sad blade to hold the attachment in proper assembled relation with the blade.

Another object is to provide a tread attachment wherein the flexible strip is preferably formed of leather or some other suitable material for providing a cushioning effect for the blade of the skate.

Another object is to provide a tread attachment wherein the clips have flat base portions which collectively provide a tread surface for the skate, and have upwardly'converging side portions provided with open return bent portions that grip opposite sides of the skate blade.

Another object is to provide a tread attachment that is not only flexible but is capable of being rolled up or folded into a relatively compact package when not in use for insertion into a pocket of the skater.

Another object is to provide a tread attachment wherein the flexible strip is capableof being cut oif wherever desired to accommodate skate blades of different lengths.

Another object is to provide a tread attachment that is simple in construction, economical to manufacture and elflci-ent in operation.

Other objects, advantages and novel details of construction of this invention will be made more apparent as this descript'on proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of an ice skate with a tread attachment embodyin my invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the tread attachment; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawing, A is an ice skate of standard construction, and B is a tread attachment for the blade [9 of said skate.

As shown, the tread attachment B comprises a flexible strip l I engageable with the lower edge of the blade Ill, and a series of spring metal clips l2 anchored to said strip at longitudinally spaced points thereof and adapted to grip opposite sides of said blade to hold the attachment in proper assembled relation with the blade.

Preferably the flexible strip H is formed of leather or some other suitable material that is sufliciently flexible to conform to blades of different shapes and that can serve as a cushioning element for the skate.

The clips 12 are formed of spring metal and have flat base portions l3 and upwardly convergil'lg side portions l4 and I5 respectively. The base portions [3 collectively provide a tread surface for the skate, and the side portions l4 and I5 have open return bent portions l6 that grip opposite sides of the skate blade l0. Preferably the base portions l3 of the clips have upwardly extending prong portions 13a that are pressed from said base portions and extend upwardly into and anchor the flexible strip 1 l upon said base portions.

In use, the flexible strip ll may be cut off wherever desired to accommodate skate blades of d'fferent lengths. The attachment may then be easily applied to the skate by merely pressine the lower edge of the blade Ill into the clips [2, i. e. between the open return bent portions l6 of the upwardly converging side portions: I4 and I5 until the flexible strip I l bears against the lower edge of said blade.

The inherent resiliency of the spring metal clips will hold the attachment in proper assembled relation with the blades so that the wearer of the skate may then walk on the tread surface provided by the flat base portions I 3 of the clips.

The flexible strip II will provide the desired cushioning effect when the flat base portions iii are used as tread surfaces. Thus the attachment will enable the wearer of the skate to walk thereon without marring the blade of the skate or the flooring or other surfaces traversed.

When it is desired to remove the attachment, the clips l2 may be easily pulled from the blade Ill. The attachment may then be rolled up or folded into a compact package for insertion into a pocket of the skater.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A tread attachment for the blade of an ice skate, comprising a substantially flat strip forming a seat for an edge of said blade, said strip being formed of leather, and clips anchored to said strip'at longitudinally spaced points thereof and having cooperating portions gripping opposite sides of said blade, other portions of said clips being beneath said strip and collectively forming a tread surface for said skate.

2. A tread attachment for the blade of an ice skate, comprising a series of spaced clips detachably gripping opposite sides of said blade, portions of said clips being relatively close together and collectively forming a tread surface for said skate, and a cushioning strip between said tread surface and the adjacent edge of said blade, said strip being anchored to and forming a connecting link between all of said clips and being detachably held by said clips in a predetermined position relative to the edge aforesaid of said blade.

3. A tread attachment for the blade of an ice skate, comprising a series of closely spaced clips detachably gripping opposite sides of said blade, portions of said clips collectively forming a tread surface for said skate, and cushioning means between said tread surface and the adjacent edge of said blade, said cushioning means extending throughout the length of said tread surface.

4. A tread attachment for the blade of an ice skate, comprising a series of relatively close clips, and a substantially flat flexible cushioning strip, said clips having substantially flat base portions collectively providing a tread surface for the blade and having upwardly converging side portions gripping opposite sides of said blade, said strip extending over the base portions of said clips and forming a seat for the adjacent edge of said blade, the base portions of said clips having prongs piercing said strip and holding the clips in proper assembled relation with said strip.

5. A tread attachment for the blade of an ice skate, comprising a flexible unit attachable to the blade at the lower edge thereof, said unit having a substantially flat strip of leather forming a seat for the lower edge of the blade and adapted to be cut to a length commensurate with the length of the blade to which it is to be attached, and clips connected to said strip at closely spaced points thereof and having means for gripping opposite sides of said blade, portions of said clips being beneath said strip and collectively forming a tread surface for said skate.

6. A tread attachment for the blade of an ice skate, comprising a flexible unit attachable to the blade at the lower edge thereof and capable of being folded or rolled up into a relatively compact package when not in use, said unit having a substantially flat strip of leather forming a seat for the lower edge of said blade, and metal clips connected to said strip at longitudinally spaced points thereof and having cooperating portions for gripping opposite sides of said blade, said clip-s having substantially flat base portions relatively close together and collectively forming a seat for said strip and a tread surface for said skate.

7. A tread attachment for the blade of an ice skate, comprising a flexible unit attachable to the stantially flat strip of flexible material forming a seat for the lower edge of said blade and capable of being cut to a length substantially equal to the length of the blade to which the unit is attached, and clips at longitudinally spaced points of said strip for gripping opposite sides of the blade to hold the strip aforesaid in proper assembled relation with the said edge of the blade, said clips being relatively close together and having tread portions collectively forming a tread surface for said skate, said tread portions being beneath and forming a seat for said strip,

8. A tread attachment for the blade of an ice skate, comprising a flexible unit attachable to the blade at thelower edge thereof and capable of being folded or rolled up into a relatively compact package when not in use, said unit having a substantially flat strip of flexible material forming a seat for the lower edge of said blade and capable of being cut to a length substantially equal to the length of the blade to which the unit is attached, and clips at longitudinally spaced points of said strip for gripping opposite sides of the blade to hold the strip aforesaid in proper assembled relation with the said edge of the blade, said clips being relatively close together and having tread portions beneath said strip and collectively providing a tread surface for said blade.

9. A tread surface for the blade of an ice skate, comprising a flexible unit attachable to the blade at the lower edge thereof, said unit having closely spaced clips provided with tread portions collectively constituting a tread surface for said skate, each of said clips being provided with means for gripping the blade, and a single cushioning strip connected to all of said clips and located between said tread portions and the lower edge of said skate, said tread portions forming a sectional seat for said strip throughout its length and said strip forming a seat for the lower edge of said blade throughout its length.

10. A tread attachment for the blade of an ice skate, comprising a flexible unit attachable to the blade at the lower edge thereof and capable of being folded or rolled up into a relatively compact package when not in use, said unit comprising a substantially fiat flexible strip extending longitudinally of and forming a seat for the lower edge of said blade, and clips connected to said strip at longitudinally spaced points thereof, said clips embracing said strip and having cooperating portions for gripping opposite sides of said blade,

other portions of said clips being beneath said strip and collectively forming a tread surface for said skate.

11. A tread attachment for the blade of an ice skate, comprising a flexible unit attachable to the blade at the lowe edge thereof and capable of being folded or rolled up into a relatively compact package When not in use, said unit comprising a substantially flat flexible strip extending longitudinally of and forming a seat for the lower edge of said blade, said flat flexible strip being adapted to be cut to a length commensurat with the length of the blade to which the unit is to be attached, and clips embracing said strip at longitudinally spaced points thereof and having cooperating portions for gripping opposite sides of said blade, other portions of said clips being beneath and secured to the underside of said strip and collectively forming a tread surface for said skate.

12. A tread attachment for the blade of an ice skate, comprising a flexible unit attachable to the blade at the lower edge thereof and comprising a substantially flat flexible strip extending longitudinally of and forming a seat for the lower edge of said blade, and clips embracing said strip at longitudinally spaced points thereof and having cooperating open return bent portions for gripping opposite sides of said blade, other portions of said clips being beneath said strip and collectively forming a tread surface for said skate, said other portions having upstanding prongs piercing the underside of said strip and holding said clips in assembled relation with said strip.

13. A tread attachment for the blade of an ice skate, comprising a flexible unit attachable to the blade at the lower edge thereof and comprising a substantially flat flexible strip extending longitudinally of and forming a seat for the lower edge of said blade, and clips embracing said strip at longitudinally spaced points thereof and having 6 cooperating portions for gripping opposite sides of said blade, other portions of said clips being beneath said strip and collectively forming a tread surface for said skate, said other portions having prongs secured to said strip and holding said clips in assembled relation with said strip.

JOHN C. MATCHETT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,143,624 Hauoh June 22, 1915 1,691,558 Tolman Nov. 13, 1928 1,788,433 Johnson Jan. 13, 19-31 

